How to make Origami: Categories

Origami is an art that doesn’t require you to be an artist. To fold an origami crane, frog, butterfly, or even a ninja star you need just accuracy and patience. Our animated origami diagrams are not going to challenge your patience, however, because they are very easy to follow, even for a child. You don’t have to remember a number of origami bases — each model starts from a plain piece of paper. You don’t have to know the names of the folds — the text tips don’t contain special terms. Our step-by-step instructions are the easiest way to learn how to make traditional origami animals, flowers, boxes and lots of other interesting things. By the way, origami develops logical reasoning, attention span, spatial thinking and fine motor skills. Consider that when you’re trying to keep fidgety kids busy.

Lessons for making origami birds of different species. Here you will learn to make the traditional Japanese crane, a symbol of peace and the most famous origami model. As every bird has a beak, all of the lessons include mastering small details which is good for developing fine motor skills. A beginner can effortlessly cope with the pigeon, parrot, duck and hen. If you are more experienced you can make the owl, swallow or crane with pleated wings. And have fun playing with the flapping bird and egg-laying hen!

Origami boats are usually easy to make even for a beginner. The boat, steamboat and boat 2 are a lot of fun, because if there is some water around (a river, canal or just a bathtub), you can set your boat afloat! The sailboat and yacht can’t float, but they are very nice and look like real boats.

Here you will learn some useful origami — make an origami and put something inside it! Put paper clips, erasers and other desk stuff in the box, candies in the basket, paper flowers in the vase and a letter in the envelope. All models are relatively easy to make.

Some of these origami clothes you can actually wear — among them are Robin Hood’s hat, samurai helmet, field cap, crown and ring. Just choose a piece of paper of proper size. Other models are fun to make too: you can make a whole origami suit — a shirt, necktie and pants! All parts of the suit can easily be made by a beginner.

A bunch of origami flowers is a nice romantic gift that any girl would appreciate because you make it with your own hands. The tulip, lily and bellflower are rather sophisticated to make and will be interesting for an experienced origami-maker, but the rose and flower are easy to make and still very beautiful.

Make an origami chair, piano or traditional table to furnish your dolls’ house! The first two models can easily be made by children, but the traditional table might require an adult’s help. The other table is a more complicated model for advanced origami-makers.

These models will help you decorate your house for Christmas and other holidays. European holidays are not celebrated in Japan, so most of the models don’t belong to traditional Japanese origami, but that doesn’t make them less interesting! Children will enjoy making the star and Christmas tree and for advanced origami-makers we have a selection of fascinating snowflakes!

Learn how to make an origami fly, butterfly, dragonfly and other bugs. The most skilled origami-makers should pay attention to the snail and the spider. The snail is very interesting in shape and the spider is a real challenge, because it’s the most complicated of our models — it has 78 steps!

Origami models of this type are actually amusing paper toys. A beginner can make a windmill that spins in the wind or a make two wrestlers and set a sumo fight. If you are more skilled, make the cracker or waterbomb to scare your friends. The most enquiring minds will enjoy constructing the top.

Here we have collected origami models that don’t fit other categories. If you want to make an origami building (the lighthouse or pagoda) or Japanese married couple (man and woman), this is your category. For kids and beginners we recommend making the pencil or house.

Learn how to make origami animals that inhabit seas and rivers. These includes not only fish, but also the sea bear, whale and octopus. The Japanese koi fish can become a real challenge even for an experienced origami-maker, so pay special attention to this one.